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Siddique Abdullah Hasan is a key organizer for an upcoming labor strike in prisons across the country.

Activist and advocates are concerned that a politically active Muslim prisoner, Siddique Abdullah Hasan, has been falsely accused of inciting terrorism at Ohio State Penitentiary, where he is incarcerated. About half a dozen Muslim prisoners at the facility are on hunger strike, demanding that the disciplinary charges be dropped and Hasan cleared of all wrongdoing, according to activists working outside the prison.

Hasan is a key organizer for the upcoming September 9 labor strike and work stoppage, which is poised to take place in prisons across the country. Outside activists told AlterNet they suspect the allegations were intended to delegitimize the events of September 9 and sow fear about people organizing from the inside

“When you start to get actions in favor of the confined citizen, it might empower more confined citizens to speak up,” explained Tahiyrah Ali, a spokesperson with the Free Ohio Movement, one of the groups organizing around the upcoming work stoppage. Continue reading →

They have given me thirty (30) days restrictions. It was a deliberate plan to cut off my direct communications with the outside world prior to the national event/action, notwithstanding their own policy only permits them to suspend my privileges for a period of up to two hundred eighty-eight hours (See paragraph (C) of rule 5120:1-10-12 of the Administrative Code or disciplinary isolation.) This restriction policy became effective 2/16/2016.
I agree that prison officials are “so used to being invisible and hiding its corruption and abuses from the public”; however, we must reveal what happened in my recent situation. Thus continue to work with the media and attorneys to expose the problems in my case. (I plan on filing my appeal to the Warden on Monday.)
There are three of us–Keith Dewitt Jr., David Martin and myself–still on hunger strike. We are all Muslims and are dissatisfied with the contract Imam’s work performance, treatment of Muslims, and using his position to remove Muslims from their services merely because they disagree with some of his teachings. The others that were on the hunger strike were showing their solidarity about me being wrongfully put in the hole. They were demanding that I be released from isolation. When that materialized, they ended their strike.
Hereunder are some of the problems in my case: Continue reading →

Youngstown, OH- On Thursday August 18, 2016 the Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP) Rules Infraction Board (RIB) restricted Imam Siddique Hasan, of the Free Ohio Movement, from phone and email kiosk access. In response, Hasan and other Muslim prisoners have begun a hunger strike.

The RIB found Hasan guilty of violating Rule 59 of the OAC (Ohio Administrative Code) Section 5120-9-06 Inmate Rules of Conduct, which reads, (59) Any act not otherwise set forth herein, knowingly done which constitutes a threat to the security of the institution, its staff, other inmates, or to the acting inmate. (http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/5120-9-06 )

According to the RIB conduct report, S. Ishmael, a freelance Imam who leads prayers and religious study classes at OSP and nearby Trumbul Correctional, accused Siddique Hasan of making threats against the institution. On August 1, 2016, Ishmael told OSP staff that Hasan had asked him to wear a suicide vest in to the institution. This conversation was supposed to have taken place during religious study on July 22. Hasan and other Muslims attending the class deny Imam Ishmael’s allegation.

“The staff Imam’s story is an absurd and offensive stereotype.” OSP prisoner David Martin told supporters over the phone. “If Hasan was supposed to have made this threat on July 22, why did it take nine days before the man told staff about it? What was he doing for those nine days?”

Express support for the hunger strike and request that they meet the striker’s demands. More information about the demands are below.

Letter from hunger striker Chaz ‘Abdullah” Burch

I am contacting you to make you aware of my “Hunger Strike” and my demands and to ring the alarm about the oppressive administration here. And to make sure my strike is “documented.”

Being falsely incarcerated since the age of 16-teen years old for a crime I didn’t commit, sentence to 100 plus years and fighting daily for my liberation which as been no easy task against this racist regime here at Southern Ohio Correctionala facility (S.O. C. F.) in Lukkkasville, Ohio. Continue reading →

You are invited to Bend the Bars 2016, a Midwest convergence in support of prisoners’ struggles.

When: August 26-29

Where: Columbus, OH

What: A weekend of workshops and discussions on prisoners’ resistance, the national prison strike starting September 9, and broad opposition to prisons, along with a public demonstration in solidarity with ongoing prison struggles.

Who we are: a group of individuals involved in prisoner solidarity work in the Midwest.

Who it’s for:
We hope to assemble a diverse group of individuals, groups, and organizations that are united by a desire to work against prisons, in support of our friends and family members who are locked up, and prisoners who are organizing themselves and acting up on the inside. Long-term supporters, former prisoners, prisoners’ families as well as those who are just starting out and wanting to learn more are all encouraged to attend. (Party-based organizations and politicians are discouraged from attending.)

If you plan on attending:
1.If you want to come to Bend the Bars, please RSVP with how many people will be attending and what kinds of accommodation you will need. The website will be updated as more details of the convergence come together, but feel free to contact us with any questions.

2. The organizing process for the convergence is ongoing, so we want to hear from you! What activities, structure, and content do you want to see? Specifically, we will have several slots for workshop sessions throughout the weekend. What discussions do you want to be a part of? Do you want to talk about the work that you’re doing? What projects and initiatives do you want to learn more about? Some topics we are interested in are supporting prison rebellion and prisoner organizing, support for individual prisoners, resistance to maximum security units, resistance to solitary confinement, prison publications, and literature distribution. Let us know if you would like to put something together! Continue reading →

On September 9, 2016, prisoners across the U.S. are initiating a wave of strikes and other forms of resistance to confinement and forced labor. It’s vital that we get organized on the outside to meaningfully support their resistance.

Bend the Bars will bring together a diversity of people who have a stake in supporting prisoners’ organizing and fighting against the prison system. We envision two days of workshops and discussions to share skills, meet each other, and build our strength. Throughout these days, we’ll highlight the voices of prisoners and ex-prisoners. And, importantly, there will be a public demonstration to make sure prisoners know that we have their backs.

Siddique Hasan, a current prisoner at the Ohio State Penitentiary, types in his cell block.

Siddique Hasan, a self-described revolutionary from Savannah, Georgia, has been waiting for a moment like this one, when prisoners across the country band together and say “enough is enough” when it comes to being treated like a slave.

“It’s time for a broader struggle,” he told ThinkProgress during his daily phone time in Ohio’s supermax prison. “People have to lift up their voice with force and determination, and let them know that they’re dissatisfied with the way things are actually being run.”

Tonight Thursday June 2 2016 6pm est 5pm central Benjamin Michael Turk, from Insurgent will speaking on the Nationally Coordinated Prisoner Work Stoppage for Sept 9 and on Friday we are featuring the Brothers of the Sun Free Alabama Freedom Movement with Bob Witnek of Decarcerate the Garden State. Mass Incarceration and over prosecution is a systemic, social, economic and political problem, that has allowed for the legal enslavement of generations of black, brown and economically challenged individuals and families. Please join in the solution . LISTEN and Participate via the web at www.blogtalkradio.com/nupowerradionetwork or call in 917-889-8059! Don’t forget to push 1 to come into the conversation! See you on the airwaves!!! QT See you on the airwaves!